Algeria Call Up Zinedine Zidane’s Son Luca for 2025 AFCON Squad

Goalkeeper Luca Zidane, the son of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, has been named in Algeria’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which begins on December 21 in Morocco.

The 27-year-old, who plays for Spanish second-division side Granada, previously represented France at youth level before switching his international allegiance to Algeria. He made his senior debut for Algeria two months ago in a World Cup qualifier against Uganda.

Zidane is one of three goalkeepers selected, alongside Oussama Benbot of USM Alger and Anthony Mandrea of Caen.

Speaking after his international debut, Zidane said: “It is an honour for me, and I will give 100% to make the Algerian people proud.”

Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic, formerly in charge of Switzerland, expressed confidence in his squad after announcing the selections.

“I’m sure the players will arrive highly motivated and ready to play in this AFCON,” Petkovic said. “The main objective is to get past the first round… with the ambition to go as far as possible in the tournament.”

Algeria will open their Group E campaign against Sudan on December 24 before facing Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea. Group winners and runners-up automatically qualify for the round of 16, along with the four best third-placed teams across the six groups.

Meanwhile, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw named six Premier League-based players in his AFCON squad. Senegal will compete in Group D against Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Benin.

The Premier League players selected are defender El Hadji Diouf (West Ham), midfielders Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham) and Habib Diarra (Sunderland), and forwards Iliman Ndiaye (Everton) and Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace).

“We are among the favourites and we accept that. I want a dominant team,” said Thiaw, a member of Senegal’s squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup.

Squads

Algeria

Goalkeepers: Luca Zidane (Granada/ESP), Oussama Benbot (USM Alger), Anthony Mandrea (Caen/FRA)

Defenders: Rafik Belghali (Verona/ITA), Rayan Aït-Nouri (Manchester City/ENG), Youcef Atal (Al-Sadd/QAT), Mehdi Dorval (Bari/ITA), Jaouen Hadjam (Young Boys/SUI), Zinedine Belaid (JS Kabylie), Ramy Bensebaïni (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Samir Chergui (Paris FC/FRA), Aïssa Mandi (Lille/FRA), Mohamed Tougai (Esperance/TUN)

Midfielders: Ismael Bennacer (Dinamo Zagreb/CRO), Rami Zerrouki (Twente/NED), Adam Zorgan (Union Saint-Gilloise/BEL), Hicham Boudaoui (Nice/FRA), Houssem Aouar (Al-Ittihad/KSA), Ibrahim Maza (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Fares Chaibi (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER)

Forwards: Mohamed Amoura (Wolfsburg/GER), Ilan Kebbal (Paris FC/FRA), Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli/KSA), Anis Hadj Moussa (Feyenoord/NED), Adil Boulbina (Al-Duhail/QAT), Monsef Bakrar (Dinamo Zagreb/CRO), Baghdad Bounedjah (Al-Shamal/QAT), Redouane Barkane (Al-Wakrah/QAT)

Senegal

Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahly/KSA), Mory Diaw (Le Havre/FRA), Yehvann Diouf (Nice/FRA)

Defenders: Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal/KSA), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa/ISR), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon/FRA), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray/TUR), Mamadou Sarr (Strasbourg/FRA), Antoine Mendy (Nice/FRA), Ilay Camara (Anderlecht/BEL), El Hadji Diouf (West Ham/ENG), Krepin Diatta (Monaco/FRA)

Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton/ENG), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham/ENG), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano/ESP), Pape Gueye (Villarreal/ESP), Lamine Camara (Monaco/FRA), Habib Diarra (Sunderland/ENG)

Forwards: Sadio Mane (Al Nassr/RSA), Boulaye Dia (Lazio/ITA), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich/GER), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton/ENG), Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace/ENG), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor/TUR), Cheikh Sabaly (Metz/FRA), Ibrahim Mbaye (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Habib Diallo (Metz/FRA), Assane Diao (Como/ITA)

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